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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · bank · mark · present · trunk · bear · saw · patient

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. mark — a grade
  3. charge — a price
  4. bank — for money
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — there
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. saw — the tool
  11. charge — in control
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. present — the time now
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bank — for money
  23. present — a gift
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com